The Cart3D solver's capabilities were extended to simulate the unique flight characteristics of the SAMs which make them difficult to simulate computationally. Scientists used the NASA Advanced Supercomputing facility at Ames Research Center to conduct the steady and unsteady simulations on both a 1024-processor and 512-processor SGI Origin 3000 system. More than 720 simulations were completed on meshes totaling almost 2.4 billion cells.

"Results from preliminary NAS studies presented to the DIA have been met with enthusiastic support," said Mike Aftosmis. The steady and unsteady results have shed new light on the flight characteristics of these missiles.

The Cart3D package is an inviscid Cartesian grid flow solver which provides end-to-end simulation of three-dimensional flows around complex vehicles.